The microbes that live on and inside us play a surprisingly significant role in our health and the progression of diseases. But the human microbiome is not static. Instead, it is a dynamic ecosystem that responds to the genetics and behavior of its host.

In this talk, Eric Alm will discuss experiments investigating how the microbiome adapts to its host and the timescales on which this adaptation occurs.

Alm is a professor of biological engineering at MIT, an institute member of the Broad Institute and co-director of the MIT Center for Microbiome Informatics and Therapeutics. Work in his laboratory employs genomics to improve healthcare and public health. Much of his recent work relates to the human microbiome. Both commercial and non-profit organizations have spun out of his research group in the fields of therapeutics, wastewater epidemiology and global health.

REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS

You must be 18+ to attend this event
Registration will close at 2:00 p.m. the day of the event
Please only register yourself and use your complete first and last name as it appears on your photo ID when filling in the form.
If you have a guest you would like to bring with you to this event, please send them the link to register so they can sign up on their own.

BUILDING ENTRY PROTOCOL

Provide valid photo ID
Present your digital or printed Eventbrite ticket confirmation; make sure it is for the correct event and that the name on it matches your ID.
Wear a mask
Limited seating is available for this in-person event and is on a first-come, first-served basis.
All attendees must be pre-registered. Walk-in entry will be denied.

Please note that by entering the Simons Foundation, you are attesting that you are not experiencing COVID symptoms and are not knowingly positive for COVID.

SCHEDULE

Doors open: 5:30 p.m. (No entrance before 5:30 p.m.)

Lecture: 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. (Admittance closes at 6:20 p.m.)

The Gerald D. Fischbach Auditorium complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act and offers accessible seating to visitors with special access needs.

The theme of the 2023 Simons Foundation Presidential Lecture series in biology is Microbiomes. Microscopic lifeforms live just about everywhere on Earth — in the deep ocean, suspended in the atmosphere and even in our planet’s interior. Microbial communities can even thrive within plants and animals, affecting the biology and biochemistry inside their hosts. On the environmental scale, microbial communities profoundly impact food chains, biogeochemical cycling and climate. This series of talks will explore microbiomes and their roles in specific hosts and environments.

HOW THE HUMAN MICROBIOME ADAPTS TO ITS HOST